Understanding the Concept of Logic
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ScribdTranslationsTHEME N°2
OPERATIONS OBJECTIVE
Write down the characteristics of the pre-scientific concept of logic:
according to the given information.
Explain the etymological concept of Logic, based on the reading.
Mention what the animal definition of Logic consists of, based on the reading.
Point out the importance of Logic, according to the given information.
THE CONCEPT OF LOGIC
What is Logic? What is it for?
These are questions that every student starting to study this interesting subject asks.
Subject. Throughout the topic, we will gradually uncover the veil of these.
questions.
Every human being has a natural disposition to think logically. The Science that
We will study, it will teach us, at least, the way to do it correctly fulfilling
with the laws that govern human thought.
1. Pre-Scientific Concept of Logic:
The Pre-Scientific Concept of a science can be seen from two points of view.
A. As a vague and imprecise notion of a discipline that is under development and in the process of
systematization.
B. Like a news item about a science since it is constituted.
From these two points of view, one can appreciate the way in which, first, it is influenced
and determines the science of which is a Pre-scientific concept and which contains it virtually.
Secondly, it is indeed science that influences and determines its pre-scientific concept.
For now, Logic can be defined as a formal science and in a more
exact, like the most formal of all sciences, without implying that it can be
to interpret as a discipline completely detached from any possible content or subject matter.
But Logic also studies the structures of thought, which means
understood that it does not deal with the study of what thought is, but how it is,
What shapes or structures does this have?
So logic studies the forms or structures of thoughts but taking into account
it notes that, in a way, they are not purely abstract entities, but rather things of
the reality is articulated, the context of the objective world.
2. Etymological Concept of Logic
From the point of view of logic understood as a science, it should be noted that there exists
an etymological definition of the word 'LOGIC'. But the etymological definitions
they have the limitation that they do not broadly tell us what a science studies, but only
about the origin of words.
1
There is a relationship between the word and its meaning, between the name of a thing and the
The same word, for example: 'Fire', automatically brings to mind a phenomenon.
that is referred to as; "fire". Therefore, it is not an arbitrary relationship, but
conventional that establishes the relationship between the plane and the thing (Object).
The same happens with the word "Logic", we know that it comes from the Greek "Loyos" which means
refers to the adjective 'Logos'. So etymologically 'Logic' means Art, Discourse,
Reason.
3. Nominal Definition of Logic
As we have said, the use of the adjective Logical or Illogical is more common than the use of
Logic noun. Indeed, we often say, 'If it rains, it is logical that the streets get wet.'
The plot of this movie is logical.
Well, when we use the term logical in this adjectival sense, we want to signify
that, there is a coherence or incoherence, depending on the case, with the internal order of our
nature with our mental structure. We say one thing and do another, we think
one thing and we say another.
It is interesting to note that, when we want to judge the logical or illogical nature of something, it is
It is necessary to transcend the matter we are judging.
That is, we have to go beyond our experiences and appreciate the possible adjustments and
dysfunctions that exist in ourselves or in others.
This fact is important to demonstrate the importance of Logic in our life.
4. Formal and Material Object of Logic
Every science seeks to establish what that thing is about which its content revolves.
the same way logic proceeds. On this particular matter, Jacques Maritain states that in his
order of the concepts.
That Logic: "Studies reason itself as it is an instrument of science or means
to acquire and possess the true.
This aspect constitutes, as it can be seen, the material object of logic, it constitutes what
from logic, contents such as Concepts, Judgments, and Reasonings.
Each science has a Material Object and a Formal Object. We call the Material Object of
a science to its content and we call Formal Object the form or perspective from
which science studies its material object. However, the correct objective is not the object.
material, because there are many sciences that study the same material object, for example:
Anthropology, Pedagogy, Biology, and Psychology have as their subject of study
the man, but what differentiates them is the way they study him. Thus, Anthropology
he studies man as a psychophysical being; Pedagogy studies him as a being capable of being
educated; Biology as a living being. In short, Psychology studies its psychic structure.
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So the correct path of what logic studies is the formal object and not the
Logic also studies man; but it studies the thought of man.
It is important to distinguish the formal, because it turns out that human thought has two
parts; a form and a matter. For example: when I say; "Men are mortal",
the subject of thought (judgment) consists of 'Men' and 'Mortals', but the form
"S is P" (Subject and Predicate).
In general, all human thought presents this structure where 'S' means subject.
and the "P" is the predicate. Additionally, it is worth noting that Formal Logic does not concern itself with the Matter.
of Thought but of the Form of Thought. It happens that when we pay attention to the
the matter of a thought we are considering the truth or falsehood of it
thought. Example: "The Monkeys are wise" If I attend to the matter of thought
I would have to declare it false; if I say, on the other hand, 'Men are rational', I have to
declare it true. While "Wisdom" is incompatible with monkeys, the
Rationality is compatible with men.
In summary, the material object refers to what Logic pursues and the Formal Object.
of logic is 'how' logic tries to correctly present the proposition or
argumentation, that is, the 'how' of thought.
5. Importance and usefulness of Logic
In every science, one of the questions that someone who approaches it asks is: What for?
Does that science serve? What is its usefulness and importance?
Indeed, when we approach the study of a science, it is necessary to answer three
questions:
What does a science study?
2. How does science study that object?
3. Why is that science studied?
Even when we have not carried it out as presented, the first one has been answered.
question. The Third is, in my opinion, the most important insofar as it motivates the
student to accept and study science And indeed, while it is true that we have said and
proven that it is not necessary to study logic in order to think logically, this does not mean that
It makes no sense to study logic.
Scientific logic is useful, as it teaches to reason with truth and correctness.
As it perfects the mind, so that it proceeds with order, with
coherence and depth.
For that reason, Logic is necessary, because it helps us use the laws that govern the
mind and allow us to always formulate thoughts, reasoning, that comply with
the laws of reason and Reality.
